(יט) הַעִידֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ.
(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed;
(ה) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה.
(5) Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
Adapted from the teachings of Rav Yitz Greenberg
Life = God Death = Absence of God
Guiding principle in the Mitzvot
Pikuach Nefesh- outranks all other Mitzvot except the big 3 . Why?
First Mitzvah - Create Life
Respect for life and life forms
1.Tzar Baaly Charm
2. Aver Min Ha chay
3. Respect for old age- Full of life
4. Mashiyach- The end of death
Tummah and Tahrah revolve around life and death.
The dead body is the Av Ha Tumah, impurity for loss of egg or waste of semen. Loss of potential life. Beit Hamikdash is about life, no dead bodies or people who are Tumaay.
(יא) כֵּן יִהְיֶה דְבָרִי אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִפִּי לֹא יָשׁוּב אֵלַי רֵיקָם כִּי אִם עָשָׂה אֶת אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִּי וְהִצְלִיחַ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתִּיו.
(11) So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return unto Me void, Except it accomplish that which I please, And make the thing whereto I sent it prosper.